CFTC Chair Michael Selig has launched the Future-Proof initiative to overhaul decades-old U.S. derivatives, crypto, and prediction market regulations as he begins his term at the agency. Taking office on December 22 after Senate confirmation on December 18, he aims to replace enforcement-led oversight with tailored rules for blockchain, AI-driven trading, and digital asset markets. The program will review existing frameworks, modernize requirements, and build on reforms advanced under former acting chair Caroline Pham.

Trump Media and Technology Group has scheduled February 2, 2026, as the record date for shareholders to qualify for its planned blockchain-based rewards token tied to DJT stock. Only ultimate beneficial owners of at least one full DJT share will be eligible, with additional conditions excluding stock borrowers and potentially complicating access for objecting beneficial owners. The token will offer perks linked to Truth Social, Truth+ and Truth Predict, but will not provide ownership rights, cash value, or profit claims.

World Liberty Financial faced criticism after a USD1 growth proposal, created on December 28 and closed on January 4, passed with 77.75% support while nine large wallets controlled about 59% of the voting power. Community members objected that many WLFI holders with locked tokens could not vote, questioned dilution from using WLFI for USD1 incentives, and flagged large transfers such as 500 million WLFI sent to Jump Trading as early investors remained locked. The dispute has intensified even as the project pursues a U.S. national banking charter and launches World Liberty Markets to expand its USD1 and WLFI ecosystem.

BonkFun has introduced a $200,000 weekly "Winners Arc" trading competition on Axiom Exchange starting January 19, 2026, prioritizing profitable traders on supported USD1 pairs. The Solana meme coin launchpad is also experimenting with zero creator fees on BONK Classic and alternative BONKERS launches, while rival Pump.fun keeps refining a creator-centric fee system and continues to lead in new token creation.

On January 18, 2026, a Trove builder said the project would pivot from Hyperliquid to Solana. On January 19, 2026, Trove stated it would retain $9,397,403 from its ICO, and minutes after launch the TROVE token fell more than 95%. The sale raised over $11.5 million and some refunds have been issued.

At the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos on January 19, 2026, Bermuda outlined a plan with Coinbase and Circle to develop what it calls a fully on-chain national economy using USDC and Base. The initiative includes piloting stablecoin payments across government, financial institutions, and merchants, backed by digital literacy programs and earlier USDC airdrop experiments to encourage local adoption.

In a live X broadcast on January 18, 2026, Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson sharply criticized Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse for supporting the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act. Hoskinson argued that the bill risks empowering regulators who have previously targeted crypto firms, while Garlinghouse and other leaders see it as a necessary step toward resolving long-running legal uncertainty around U.S. crypto rules.

In the early hours of January 19, 2026, Bitcoin briefly showed a price of $0.00 on Paradex after a Starknet-based technical failure during scheduled maintenance caused mass liquidations in several perpetual markets. Paradex responded by rolling back its chain state to block 1,604,710 and temporarily suspending key services, later restoring trading and withdrawals while warning users about impersonation scams.

Hong Kong’s crypto industry warns the OECD’s CARF rollout could burden local exchanges with complex data duties and steep penalties. A trade group’s submission seeks clarity on privacy, record-keeping after dissolution, and “per account” fines, while asking for APIs and flexibility on the five-month deadline. The city targets legislative amendments in 2026 and data exchange by 2028.